Feeding attachment for packing and wrapping machines



(No Model.)

. H. D. WHIPPLE. FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PACKING AND WRAPPING MACHINES.

Patented Sept. 3,1895,

III// M l H Inventor.

Witnesses:

Atto rney UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

HENRY D. WVHIPPLE, OF ROCHESTER, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC MACHINERYCOMPANY, OF PORT BYRON, NEW YORK.

FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR PACKING AND WRAPPING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent/No. 545,564, datedSeptember 3, 1895.

Application filed January 17, 1895- Serial No. 535,239. (No model.)

I clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to thedrawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to the feeding apparatus of packing and wrappingmachines of that class where the feeding is done intermittently; and theinvention consists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described, and embodied in the claims. In the drawings,Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the feeding apparatus.Fig. 2' is a similar section at right angles to Fig. 1, showing theswinging valve open in position to receive the charge. Fig. 3 is asimi-.

lar View of the central portion, showing the valve closed, the'chargebeing deposited in the tube and ready to be forced downward.

In general features the feeding attachment is similar to that shown inthe application of Henry D. Whipple and Edwin M. Slayton, filedSeptember 25, 1891, Serial No. 406,855.

A indicates an external tube or socket-piece rigidly attached to theframe of the machine.

.8 is an internal tube formingthe feedingtube, resting inside theexternal tube and sliding freely up and down. At the bottom of the tubeB is a wedge-shaped point 0, consisting of four thin plates (1 a. a a,hinged at their upper ends to the end of the tube, so as to swingoutward, and pressed inward by ligh springs 12 b. v

D is a plunger with a solid end resting in and filling the feeding-tubeB, but movable freely therein. The tube B and plunger D are operated byrock-arms E F, as shown in the drawings, or by any other suitable means.

G is one of a series of receptacles which move beneath the filling-tube,into which the material is deposited to be wrapped, the wrapper alsobeing placed within the receptacle,

as described in the before-mentioned application.

My improvement is as follows: The external tube A and feeding-tubeB areeach provided on one side with an opening 0, through which the materialis inserted. H is a valve forming a chute pivoted at d to the bottom ofthe opening of the interior tube. It is of such size as to close intothe opening and fill the same, thus completingthe side of the tube. Whenopen, it stands in the inclined position shown in Fig. 2, and forms thechute to receive the material and force it into the tube.

fis a link pivoted at one end to the back of the valve and at the otherto abar g or some other stationarypart of the frame of the machine. Thelink is of such length that when the feeding-tube is forced down to itsfull extent the link swings in horizontally, as shown in Fig. 3, andcloses the valve into the side of the tube and holds it there. I is ahopper that incloses the valve, and K is an endless apron provided, withlags between which the material is fed in charges of determinate weightand from which said charges fall onto the valve below. In operation thematerial drops from the endless apron upon the valve. The feeding-tube Bis then forced down to its lowest extent, the point C entering thereceptacle. This movement causes the valve H to close automatically andforce the charge in a body into the tube. The linkfacts as a fulcrum toturn the valve. When this is accomplished, the plunger Dmoves down andforces the charge down into the hollow point of the feeding-tube. Thisaction expands the wings a a against the sides of the receptacle. tube'Bnow rises, while the plungerremalns stationary, and the latter, holdingthe charge in place, allows the wings a ato be withdrawn from thereceptacle without disturbing the charge.

By the means above described the material, as fast as it falls upon thevalve, is automate cally forced into the feeding-tube in successivecharges and in the best condition, obviating the bunching and unduecompression 1n some parts of the material where-it is forced in by thehand, which is the usual practice. It is particularly effective inpacking tobacco, which, from its light and fibrous nature, is

difficult to insert by hand and is liable to bunch or pack hard in someparts of the charge.

Having described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, in thisapplication the feedingtube, expanding-point, and plunger shown in thepending application of Whipple and Slayton, filed September 25, 1891,Serial No. 406,855. 7

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a packing and wrapping machine, the combination of a stationarysupport, a feeding tube movable therein, a plunger resting in the tube,having independent movement, a movable valve covering an opening in thefeeding tube, and means for closing the valve automatically when thefeeding tube receives longitudinal movement.

2. In a packing and wrapping machine, the combination of a stationarysupport, a feeding tube movable therein, a plunger resting in thefeeding tube, having independent movement, a movable valve covering anopening in the feeding tube, and a link pivoted at one end to the valveand at the other to a stationary support, and serving to close the valvewhen the feeding tube receives longitudinal movement.

3. In a packing and wrapping machine, the combination of a stationarysupport, a feeding tube movable therein, a plunger resting in thefeeding tube, having independent movement, a movable valve covering anopening in the feeding tube and forming a chute to receive the materialto be acted on, a link attached to the valve and to a stationarysupport, serving to close the valve when the feeding tube receiveslongitudinal movement, and an endless apron for feeding the material tothe valve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY D. W HIPPLE.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, CHAS. A. WIDENER.

